Page:A new and general biographical dictionary; containing an historical and critical account of the lives and writings of the most eminent persons in every nation v1.djvu/224

 ,83 A L V A R E S. were opened, and his affections fufficiently turned againft him, durit not complain. But the day of reckoning was approaching, and at length he was f.ized : yet not directly, openly, and violently, but with fome of that management, which upon a fnnilar occa- fion was formerly employed by Tiberius againft Sejanus. During his confinement, he made feveral attempts to fpealc to the king in perfon; but not being able to effect: this, he lent the following letter, from which furely, as well as from the reft of Alvares's hiftory, all court-favourites may draw abundant matter for edification and inftruction. " Sir, it is " five- and forty years fince I was admitted into your fervice. " 1 do not complain of the rewards I have received : they " deny. There was but one thing wanting to complete my " happinefs; and that was to have fixed proper limits in ' time to this great fortune of mine. While, inftead of " Jhis misfortune. It is very hard that I fhould be deprived 41 of liberty, when I have rifked life and fortune more than " once to reftore it to you. Grief prevents me from faying " more. I know that the Deity is provoked againft me by 46 my fins : but it will be fufficient for me, if his anger is " bear that prodigious mafs of riches, which it was 'wrong in " me to have heaped together: I ftiould willingly rtfign " them, but that every thing I have is in your power; and J " am denied the opportunity of (heaving mankind, that you " have raifed a perfon to the height of greatnefs, who can << contemn wealth as well as procure it, and give it back to tl him from whom he received it. But I defire you in the " ftiongeft terms, that, as I was obliged, by the lownefs of kt the treafury, to raife ten or twelve thoufand crowns by " methods I ought not to have taken, you will reftore them " to the perfons from whom they were extorted. If you - l will not grant this on account of the fervices I have done, '* yet I think it necefiary to be done from the reafon of the thing. This letter, however, produced no effect in his favour : Alvares was tried, and condemned to lofe his head. An ac- cufation was formed againft him full of the moft fhocking crimes; as, that he had madly invaded the rights of kingly jtfty, reduced the whole court into his power, and made himfeli
 * were oreater than my merits or expectation, as I fhall not
 * chuftng retirement after the example of the greateft men,
 * 4 I ftill continued in the employment, which I thought not
 * only my duty, but necefiary for your intereft, I fell into
 * 4 appeafed by the calamities 1 now fuffer. I can no longer